Getting reconnected with China
Are you wanting to follow the latest news about China? Are there specific sectors, industries, topics, or areas of China you would like to keep up with on a daily basis?
Information is the key to being a thought leader in your industry and being a part of the game as well. If you want to remain at the top of your game, here are six things you can do on the Internet to stay connected with China.
1. Google Alerts (Free)
Type in the most specific criteria and google alerts will send you updated emails each day of posts in the news, blogs, general websites, and more that meet your desired criteria. You can always adjust the alerts if you are not getting the desired results.
2. New York Times (Free)
For the past 3 years I have been getting daily emails of the New York Times to my email address. Not only do I get the entire NY Times emailed to me, but I also get any articles dealing with China emailed to me as a separate email. I have read the headlines and many of the articles over the past three years about China and it has truly kept me updated on the politics and business of China. However, I caution that the New York Times is very biased towards what Americans think of China and other sources are needed to gain a more balanced view of this complex country.
3. Look at other newspapers like the Huffington Post, which provide great online services.
4. Follow other trusted China blogs.
I enjoy following http://ilookchina.net/, which is written by author Lloyd Lofthouse. He posts several times each day about historical facts, Huffington Post articles, current events, important current and historical figures of China, and offers a different perspective than the typical American. He is also a gracious blogger and responds to any posts you submit to his blog.
Also, while writing this blog post, I found a fantastic blog through Google Alerts. http://www.littleredbook.cn is written by a marketing veteren of China (Rand Han) that focuses on social media in Shanghai. He owns what appears to be 2 marketing companies, BA360 (Bloody Amazing) and Resonance China. I am very impressed by the information he provides about social media marketing in China and by the conversations he initiates on his blog. I am excited to continue following his posts in the future.
5. LinkedIn.com Groups
LinkedIn groups can offer a lot of insight from real professionals. I have made new connections with professionals in China as well as found great information from some of the more experienced China professionals. The only problem is when some of these groups are not managed well, then there is a lot of spam to scroll through.
6. Increase Your Personal Network in China
As mentioned above, use LinkedIn! It’s not blocked in China and you should be using it to join groups and meet other professionals and connect with friends and business associates in China. I have kept up with my old company in Guangzhou and stayed connected with coworkers who have already moved on to other companies.
These are just 6 easy ways to stay updated on what is happening in China. It’s important to make it convenient so that you will make it part of your daily habits.
So, how do you keep up with the latest and greatest in China?
